Wednesday, July 8, 2009

ENGLISH MUFFINS

Every week, I make sure to bake at least one loaf for our Sunday brunch (we rarely eat bread during the week) as, without trying to sound pretentious, I prefer my creations to what can be found in bakeries or in stores. This leaves me the advantage of choosing the type of bread/recipe (white, wholewheat, rye, sourdough, sweet, savory, etc...) I want to put together, it gives me the opportunity to experiment with the craft of bread baking as well as to eat specialities from around the world and which simply cannot be found here...

As the summer brings us our share of stuffy, humid and sticky air and transforms the apartment into a sauna or tropical jungle, there was no way that, on this suffocatingly hot Thursday, I was going to put my oven on and chase away the only little ounce of freshness I was able to keep in my "rabbit box"!!!

So, I decided that I was going to use a frying pan/skillet in order to cook my bread. And that's the reason why I stumbled across Beth Hensperger's version of "English Muffins".

This speciality which is also called "Hot Muffin" or "Breakfast Muffin",and which is a yeast-leavened form of bread almost always dusted with cornmeal, can be found in North america, Australia, New Zealand and England.

"English Muffins" are generally eaten for breakfast, toasted and topped with butter and jam. They are also served for teatime and can be used to make sandwiches with meat, eggs and cheese or even hamburgers. Not to forget that they are the base ingredient in the traditional and famous New York dish, Eggs Benedict.

"Originally eaten by the "downstairs" servants in England's Victorian society, the English muffin surfaced and rose to prominence in Great Britain when members of all classes of society became aware of its goodness. The family baker made English muffins from leftover bread and biscuit dough scraps and mashed potatoes. He fried the batter on a hot griddle, creating light, crusty muffins for the servants. Once members of the "upstairs" family tasted these rich muffins, they began to request them for themselves - especially during teatime." - www.kitchenproject.com

I have made "English Muffins" a few times in the past, but never were they as good as Beth Hensperger's gorgeous little rolls. Her recipe gives great results and is so easy to follow!

Those delightful buns are quite addictive both in texture and taste. With their pillowy smoothness, soft, chewy inside and crispy edges, their perfect yeasty fragrance and toasty flavor, it is impossible not to succumb to that heavenly goodness.

Ingredients:1/4 Cup (60g) Warm water (40.5° C - 46° C/105 - 115° F)1 Tbs (1 package/7g) Active dry yeastPinch of sugar4 to 4 1/2 Cups (510g to 575g) Unbleached all-purpose flour2 Tsps Salt1 Large egg1 1/4 Cup (300ml/g) Lukewarm milk2 Tbs (30g) Unsalted butter, meltedCornmeal (for dusting)Method:1. Combine the water, yeast, and a pinch of sugar in a small bowl and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.2. Combine 2 cups of the flour and the salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in egg, milk, butter, and yeast mixture. Mix until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time, stirring in each time, until you have a soft dough that just clears the sides of the bowl.3. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes. Return the dough to a clean, greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rise until doubled in size, about 90 minutes.4. Sprinkle a work surface with cornmeal. Pour the dough out of the bowl and onto the surface. Sprinkle the top of the dough with cornmeal and then roll the dough into a rectangle about 1.3 cm (1/2 inch) thick. Use a large round cookie cutter or an upside down drinking glass (2.5-3 inches/7-8 cm) to cut the muffins out of the dough.5. Heat a large frying pan/skillet over medium heat. Place the muffins onto the skillet and let them cook for 5 minutes on each side.6. Cool on a rack.

Remarks:If using instant yeast, you can just mix the yeast in with the flour and ommit this first step and the sugar.The muffins should be golden brown on each side.Once the muffins are cooked through, they should sound hollow when tapped.

Serving suggestions:Eat halved, toasted or not, with butter, jam, curd, cream cheese, cottage cheese, etc...You can make sandwiches or hamburgers with them too.

I don't blame you for liking these better than any you could buy at the store or bakery. They do look delicious! I've made English muffins only once, but next time I'll try to make them on the frying pan, that'd be a new adventure for me :)

I am ever so tempted Rosa and I don't even bake! I love the side of history too. Oh how I wish my condo would feel like a "sauna or tropical jungle." It's July in New York but if I closed my eyes; I would think it was September.

It would be a perfect day for baking English Muffins. Thank you so much for sharing...

Wow. These look amazing. So perfectly shaped and colored. I have been on an English muffin kick lately. I have tried Dan Lepard's recipe, plus Peter Reinhart's plus another recipe from a book called Get Your Buns in Here. This recipe is going on my to try next list!